Cinder Kitten

You never addressed the idea of preorder or did you? Did you all ever think of a preorder option to get the funds raised ahead of the actual content release? Like during a meeting about the pet or however it is you plan content.

There's just not a whole lot I can say about this right now. Setting these things up on the Blizzard Store isn't a trivial task either, particularly if a presale is involved.

Because the kitten was not designed to be a charity issue until Blizzard decided to milk the issue for popularity sake.

If they actually cared about getting money to the Red Cross in support of the hurricane they would:

1) Already have something available.2) Not be announcing it BEFORE the weeks it is going to take for 5.1 to be launched.

It's a pretty !@#$ty thing to do in order to 'look good' and although many people might think of me negative for saying it, they are just looking for a tax write-off and public karma.

I'm actually really happy that our business practices are nowhere near as cynical as you portray, though it literally makes me sick to my stomach to even read this. If you want to know some background (so you don't have to make it up yourself), the Cinder Kitten was already being set up as a charity pet prior to the hurricane. Once Sandy hit we recognized that we needed to change our plans. But, by that time, it became difficult to do much to change the timetable for getting this pet in the game and on sale. Anyway, with that context, to your points:

1) Already have something available? Like, we should have backup "disaster" pets in the game just waiting to be sold when the next disaster strikes. Tell me how that would be any more difficult for you to spin in some cynical way.

2) I already explained why we announced it. While the pet isn't available yet and the Blizzard Store isn't prepared to take the transactions, we need people to know we're doing this. If an adorable little pet is going to encourage a greater number of donations, I don't see the value in presumptively tearing down Blizzard for cynical PR, nor do I see the value in some of the other posts in this thread belittling people for needing to get something in return for a donation.

It's a situation that's mutually beneficial for Blizzard, our customers, the Red Cross, and those who need disaster relief. If all you want to do is find a way to spin this into some cynical ploy on anyone's behalf, I seriously want you to leave this thread and not come back.

Hey Z, way to give it to him. that's how you talk to ignorant people in this world!

You never addressed the idea of preorder or did you? Did you all ever think of a preorder option to get the funds raised ahead of the actual content release? Like during a meeting about the pet or however it is you plan content.

There's just not a whole lot I can say about this right now. Setting these things up on the Blizzard Store isn't a trivial task either, particularly if a presale is involved.

If they actually cared about getting money to the Red Cross in support of the hurricane they would:

1) Already have something available.2) Not be announcing it BEFORE the weeks it is going to take for 5.1 to be launched.

It's a pretty !@#$ty thing to do in order to 'look good' and although many people might think of me negative for saying it, they are just looking for a tax write-off and public karma.

You should not wait to support the hurricane relief effort with this marketing gimmick and instead donate directly to the red cross RIGHT NOW. People need support RIGHT NOW.

Frankly, your attitude is pretty !@#$ty.

1) Unless you work in Blizzard's Accounting Department, you have NO IDEA what Blizzard, as a corporate entity has, or has not done. You have no idea if Blizzard might have donated already. You have no idea if the employees have independently donated.

2) Blizzard announced it NOW in order to make sure anyone interested would be keeping their eyes open and keeps the dialog going. Not everyone is a philanthropist, and gestures like this help a lot. What doesn't help is misplaced cynicism.

Look folks, I live on Long Island. I went without heat and hot water for seven days. I took icy cold showers and worked out of local Apple Stores when the malls started to get power. I ate pop tarts and breakfast bars and drank seltzer for days before the local restaurants opened again for business. I've seen some pretty amazing acts of random kindness this last week. Your snotty, elitist attitude is NOT appreciated.

I, as a Long Islander, greatly and deeply appreciate this gesture on the part of Blizzard and because I do not live in a coastal areas (which were devastated, leaving many families homeless and bereft of all their possessions going in to the holidays), I, too, will be buying a Fire Kitty for charity. Not just to support the Red Cross, but to support the actions of corporations who donate of themselves to help make the world a better place.

Most of you are being hypocrites. If you actually cared about the hurricane relief effort you wouldn't need a pet to buy on the blizzard store in order to donate. Now that Blizzard has announced that 100% of the funds are going to the Sandy relief you all act like it needs to be up right away to get the funds to the red cross, but you can't/wont go to red cross or other relief sites to donate directly. Why do you need to have a pet to donate to help out?

Many people can, and do, donate without a pet. Assuming this is the only donation "most" people in game make is ridiculous. I know an awful lot of gamers who were affected by Sandy themselves, too. The majority of my family was in the hurricane's path.

I was planning on buying this pet long before I heard it was a charity pet. The fact it is, and that the proceeds will go to help my friends and family affected by that storm, makes me happy, IN ADDITION to any other donations and contributions people choose, or are able, to make. I'm not too worried about the time table, and am pretty certain many people don't actually have an understanding of how much damage was done and how long it's going to take to clean up and get the affected back into homes and jobs and rebuild everything that was destroyed.

The kitten will take time to come out, but the money will still have plenty of use to Sandy victims. It's up to each person to choose to donate anything else sooner if they are able to do so, and if they can find the proper venues.

You never addressed the idea of preorder or did you? Did you all ever think of a preorder option to get the funds raised ahead of the actual content release? Like during a meeting about the pet or however it is you plan content.

There's just not a whole lot I can say about this right now. Setting these things up on the Blizzard Store isn't a trivial task either, particularly if a presale is involved.

I think it's an excellent idea and would love to see it happen. :)

I wish you guys wouldn't use the "it's hard" excuse so much. A company of your size and fame should be able to do these kind of things.

Because the kitten was not designed to be a charity issue until Blizzard decided to milk the issue for popularity sake.

If they actually cared about getting money to the Red Cross in support of the hurricane they would:

1) Already have something available.2) Not be announcing it BEFORE the weeks it is going to take for 5.1 to be launched.

It's a pretty !@#$ty thing to do in order to 'look good' and although many people might think of me negative for saying it, they are just looking for a tax write-off and public karma.

I'm actually really happy that our business practices are nowhere near as cynical as you portray, though it literally makes me sick to my stomach to even read this. If you want to know some background (so you don't have to make it up yourself), the Cinder Kitten was already being set up as a charity pet prior to the hurricane. Once Sandy hit we recognized that we needed to change our plans. But, by that time, it became difficult to do much to change the timetable for getting this pet in the game and on sale. Anyway, with that context, to your points:

1) Already have something available? Like, we should have backup "disaster" pets in the game just waiting to be sold when the next disaster strikes. Tell me how that would be any more difficult for you to spin in some cynical way.

2) I already explained why we announced it. While the pet isn't available yet and the Blizzard Store isn't prepared to take the transactions, we need people to know we're doing this. If an adorable little pet is going to encourage a greater number of donations, I don't see the value in presumptively tearing down Blizzard for cynical PR, nor do I see the value in some of the other posts in this thread belittling people for needing to get something in return for a donation.

It's a situation that's mutually beneficial for Blizzard, our customers, the Red Cross, and those who need disaster relief. If all you want to do is find a way to spin this into some cynical ploy on anyone's behalf, I seriously want you to leave this thread and not come back.

That post should've gotten the banhammer. Just saying. Its pitiful that someone could be so jaded and cynical that they could say anything like that. "Good PR"? "Good karma"? Tell that to the people who's homes were destroyed who will be getting help from the Red Cross because of this. Who the heck cares "why"? If the people get helped, that's all that matters right?

This isn't even about Blizzard. How dare you insult the people who are suffering because of this?

Because the kitten was not designed to be a charity issue until Blizzard decided to milk the issue for popularity sake.

If they actually cared about getting money to the Red Cross in support of the hurricane they would:

1) Already have something available.2) Not be announcing it BEFORE the weeks it is going to take for 5.1 to be launched.

It's a pretty !@#$ty thing to do in order to 'look good' and although many people might think of me negative for saying it, they are just looking for a tax write-off and public karma.

I'm actually really happy that our business practices are nowhere near as cynical as you portray, though it literally makes me sick to my stomach to even read this. If you want to know some background (so you don't have to make it up yourself), the Cinder Kitten was already being set up as a charity pet prior to the hurricane. Once Sandy hit we recognized that we needed to change our plans. But, by that time, it became difficult to do much to change the timetable for getting this pet in the game and on sale. Anyway, with that context, to your points:

1) Already have something available? Like, we should have backup "disaster" pets in the game just waiting to be sold when the next disaster strikes. Tell me how that would be any more difficult for you to spin in some cynical way.

2) I already explained why we announced it. While the pet isn't available yet and the Blizzard Store isn't prepared to take the transactions, we need people to know we're doing this. If an adorable little pet is going to encourage a greater number of donations, I don't see the value in presumptively tearing down Blizzard for cynical PR, nor do I see the value in some of the other posts in this thread belittling people for needing to get something in return for a donation.

It's a situation that's mutually beneficial for Blizzard, our customers, the Red Cross, and those who need disaster relief. If all you want to do is find a way to spin this into some cynical ploy on anyone's behalf, I seriously want you to leave this thread and not come back.

I also find this post sickening, As frankly I know at least a couple people who don't give a rip about giving to charity (I'm not one of them I give to the human society periodicly.) But honestly those who don't give a rip about charity for whatever reason do some of which could be so simple as: the disaster didn't hit there country, I know a canadian who wants this pet even though he wouldn't give a second glance to the idea of sending the US aid for a disaster. So his 10.00 is being given to us because he things the Cinder Kitten is cute and is a pet collector.

I think this is a very cleaver way to get people who normally don't give a flying rip about giving to charity to do just that give to charity.

I must say that I'm very proud to play a game made by such a clever company as Blizzard, A company that donates time and profits to do a world of good for disasters. I have now every disaster pet the company has put out since I started to play. I will have the Cinder Kitten also for both the reason of giving to disaster victims as well as adding something so cute to my collection of pets.

Thank you for Caring Blizzard I very much thing this post was sickening and support your efforts.

There's just not a whole lot I can say about this right now. Setting these things up on the Blizzard Store isn't a trivial task either, particularly if a presale is involved.

I think it's an excellent idea and would love to see it happen. :)

I wish you guys wouldn't use the "it's hard" excuse so much. A company of your size and fame should be able to do these kind of things.

After working in a few corporations myself, it's really not easy feat. Everyone along the chain of command has to make sure their asses are covered, everyone has their list of tasks to do for every other department, not to mentioned the office relation and politics. A lot of time is actually wasted on moving things along the hierachy. I am sure if it's up to the individual, it will be up in no time, but sometimes moving a pin is difficult in a corporate environment.

I'm actually really happy that our business practices are nowhere near as cynical as you portray, though it literally makes me sick to my stomach to even read this. If you want to know some background (so you don't have to make it up yourself), the Cinder Kitten was already being set up as a charity pet prior to the hurricane. Once Sandy hit we recognized that we needed to change our plans. But, by that time, it became difficult to do much to change the timetable for getting this pet in the game and on sale. Anyway, with that context, to your points:

1) Already have something available? Like, we should have backup "disaster" pets in the game just waiting to be sold when the next disaster strikes. Tell me how that would be any more difficult for you to spin in some cynical way.

2) I already explained why we announced it. While the pet isn't available yet and the Blizzard Store isn't prepared to take the transactions, we need people to know we're doing this. If an adorable little pet is going to encourage a great number of donations, I don't see the value in presumptively tearing down Blizzard for cynical PR, nor do I see the value in some of the other posts in this thread belittling people for needing to get something in return for a donation.

It's a situation that's mutually beneficial for Blizzard, our customers, the Red Cross, and those who need disaster relief. If all you want to do is find a way to spin this into some cynical ploy on anyone's behalf, I seriously want you to leave this thread and not come back.

This is the best post on the whole forum today. I salute you, Zarhym.

This, let him know whats up Zarhym your doing a great thing and ill definitly be buying a cinder kitten as I know many people who lost their homes in this disaster.

If Katrina was any indication, getting money donated to people affected by Sandy even 3 months (let alone 6 months) after the fact would make a huge difference in terms of assisting people who have lost their homes, livelihoods and even loved ones in this disaster. Getting your whole life turned upside down isn't something that can be resolved in even under a year.

Take that from a Missourian who had friends lose their homes last year in the Joplin, MO tornado. People are still having to live in the FEMA trailers this long after the fact. And the destruction (despite wiping out half of Joplin) isn't nearly as widespread as the Sandy hurricane.

TL;DR Less misanthropy, more philanthropy. Even if it's 10 dollars from some midwesterner nerd 2-3 months after the storm itself. Not everyone comes equipped with magical bootstraps to haul themselves up 3 weeks after losing everything.

Zarhym, thank you for your efforts and patience for dealing with people similar to the one whom you quoted and disdained for his cynical mannerism. I sadly will not be able to partake in this sale because of my own financial situation, but it's always joyous and wonderful to know that people (companies such as Blizzard) still have eyes and ears open to these kinds of issues.